I disagree 100% with the person who wrote the first review for The Shell Shop and gave them 1 star. The employees here are very friendly and extremely helpful. I was looking at a lot of pieces of jewelry and they were more than happy to pull all the pieces out for me. I also had a lot of questions about the different materials used and the stones, etc. They were very knowledgeable and were glad to answer all my questions thoroughly. The name of the store is The Shell Shop, so naturally you are going to find many things made from shells such as wind chimes, etc. But they have so much more here. They have wall art, fountains, mosaic pieces, jewelry (tons of sterling silver pieces), and so much more. One of the most interesting things I saw here were coconut postcards. Yes, coconuts you can purchase and actually mail to someone. Too cool. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-shell-shop-sunburst-trading-co-saint-augustine?select=Smd71M6JU433S79YjnFuUw#iZFav12LHbYmluHe2hNdLw One thing I was surprised to find here were sticks to put hair up with. I'm not sure what the proper name is, I just call them sticks. LOL http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-shell-shop-sunburst-trading-co-saint-augustine?select=Smd71M6JU433S79YjnFuUw#AwASeKbxNtIMsl44CiYeSg I have very long hair and I live in Florida, so during the summer (and we have a LONG summer here), I keep put my hair up every day and I usually put it up in a bun and use a stick to secure it. I normally buy these from the China and Japan Pavilions at Epcot, so imagine my surprise at finding them here. They were also very, very reasonably priced... MUCH cheaper than I purchase them for at Epcot. One of them was hand painted and there was a small chip in the paint (not even noticeable when I have it in my hair), but I pointed it out and they gave it to me for 50% off. Even cooler because I was going to purchase it anyway. Very great shop on St, George Street in Historic St. Augustine. It's different than a lot of the "touristy" shops because they carry so many various items. Although, they do cater to the tourists as well who want something that has "St. Augustine" written on it. Don't miss checking this shop out if you're on St. George Street. read more

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My favorite place ever! They have everything it is beautiful and amazing come here early with family and friends relax shop the staff is so friendly and joyful and happy and helpful! I appreciate them so much it is very clean and organized perfect for all occasions I love it so much definitely come on a weekday! It is remarkable unbelievable so amazing! Everything is beautiful so much fun and unique beautiful gorgeous! I love coming here! From Lauren read more

Cute shop filled with seashell treasures! They have individual shells, ornaments, jewelry, there is something for everyone ocean lover. I snagged a shell ring and couldn't resist the cute turtle pieces. Dose quince dos mil viente cuatro read more

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This is a really cool shop in Historic St. Augustine. We found the staff here to be friendly and helpful. Yes, some of the items in here are overpriced and/or the typical touristy stuff. However, there are also some unique gorgeous items, and there are some bargains if you're willing to look. We bought a really pretty hand made decorative bowl for a great price. The clerk took the time to carefully wrap it for us. We will definitely stop by this store the next time we're in the area. read more

They have lots of great items at a good price. They have not only lots of shells, but other home decor and souvenirs. I would recommend getting a mystery package of shells. The staff was pretty nice, but they were busy, so they wanted to keep things moving. We came here on a Tuesday, and it was a little crowded. There are lots of unique and fun items. Definitely come here when walking down St. George Street. read more

I was in their shop last weekend. Purchase a cute item for my kitchen. I got side tracked and left my entire credit and id wallet behind. It was later in the day when I realized this and went into a panic. After back tracking my receipts I called them. Yes, they had it. All my credit cards and ID where there. I could not thank the management for being honest. Since no phone number was in my wallet they told me if I didn't call them they were going to mail to address on drivers licence. Picked it up Sunday before heading home. By the way the item I bought looks great in my kitchen. Thank you again for being good honest people. Maddie Rubin read more

I love the merchandise in this shop and purchased several items. Unfortunately the service from a lady employee who was not nice and almost rude made me want to stop my purchase and leave. Maybe she was having a bad morning? read more

What a one of a kind gem! Not only are there so many creative items made from shells, but you can purchase shells of all kinds, for whatever your purpose. The shop was totally packed with inventory and the prices were reasonable for such unique gifts. I bought 3 gifts (2 mobiles and 1 jewelry box for about $55) to bring back to my beach-loving NY family members and the staff ensured they were wrapped securely and travel-proof before I left! If I'm back in St. Augustine, I'll definitely stop by again. read more

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Cutest little shop and the friendliest employees! Not just shells, they have a variety of things...jewelry, home decor, plants, pots, etc. read more

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Unfortunately, this shop overcharged me when I purchased a shell for my grandaughter while vacationing in Florida. The sticker on the shell said $12.99; the same price tag was on all the shells of a similar type when we looked for a perfect one. The vendor removed the price sticker, wrapped my purchase in paper, and dropped the receipt at the bottom of the bag. When I got home the next day, I saw I had been charged $29.95. He refused to reimburse me for the difference. I suggest if you buy anything there, which I wouldn't, that you look at the receipt. read more

Stopped in this Place the other day . had the best Customer Service from a girl named BRENDA smiled, polite, helpful that was at the Shell shop went to the trading Company the next day there was a lady that was very abrupt and rude and rolling her eyes, but out of nowhere came Brenda, and very helpful again and pleasant again she made it a very, very nice shopping trip. read more

For the name of the shop, you can definitely find an array of shells here. I didn't look too much in depth at all the shells offered, but from what I seen there were quite a bit. I thought the little designer candles were cute, though I'm the type if I buy candles I want to use them, and these just seemed to pretty to use lol. The store was clean and organized. A medium sized store. read more

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I am also confused about the negative reviews of this shop. I stopped in here to do some browsing (and to escape the cold) and I found all sorts of unique items (bali yoga pants, yo yos, and a whistle if you are curious. no shells though) The people who worked there were very helpful and friendly! I honestly would return to this spot to peruse their enormous collections of shells. If you are into crafting, these would be great! read more

Don't go there, tourist trap, overpriced, and cheap items all made in China. The Worker with dreadlocks gave us the bird after he told us to "knock off" the photography. We had them hold stuff for us to buy, and we ended up not buying them, this is a store who thinks it's ok to treat customers disrespectfully because they don't need or want your business solely because they located in the center of it. This doesn't entitle any business to act disrespectfully towards customers in front of other guests and children. In reality, their products are gimmicky, you're better off going to another store to spend your money. I'd give 0 stars if I could. Nasty, rude, and verbally abusive workers behind the counter based on their entitlement. Long story long, this place sucks thanks to the salesmen. Neighborhood is great though, and this store is a representation of the ugly part of a beautiful historic neighborhood. read more

(This was written over a month prior to posting on yep, no response from owner) Michael, I am writing this email having just left your 21 Orange Street store. This is the second time visiting your store as I was there last year and purchased a $60 Larimar ring for my girlfriend's birthday. She wanted the ring since she was in the Peace Corps and the backstory for the gem / ring was created by someone who was also in the Peace Corps. The gem fell off the ring almost immediately after we left St Agustine (I think she wore it once) and we finally returned to your store to discuss replacing it. The shop manager told us that the new rings are more expensive and offered 50% off or a $40 credit. The issue we have is all the rings are $80 now so would be paying more money and still be concerned that this issue could happen again. Please reach out ASAP as we leave at Agustine tomorrow. I do not want to share this negative experience with review websites and would prefer we come to a more reasonable resolution. This experience was very unpleasant and the manager was not helpful. Please advise. read more

The Shell Shop - Sunburst Trading - The stone fell out of the ring almost immediately - Home & Garden Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

I'm so glad I did not spend any money in this place. First, when we walked in, all the employees at the counter stared at us without saying anything. It doesn't feel nice to not feel welcomed into a store you planned on spending a good amount of money in. Then, when walking out of the store we were accused of shoplifting! 2 girls pushing an 85 year old woman in a wheelchair, getting accused of stealing one of their crappy necklaces. When the rude old bat working her dead-end retail job confronted us asking about the necklace, we showed her exactly where it was placed. She grabbed it and just stared at us like a mindless zombie. You would think she'd have said "oh ok, thanks" or "my mistake" or even, crossing slightly into the realm of decent customer service, "sorry about that." But alas, just a look. After being falsely accused of theft, we didn't deserve an apology or anything. I called the store asking for a manager, and the zombie answered. I asked to speak with a manager and she said that wasn't possible. So I asked if it's their policy to accuse the only Hispanic woman shopping in the store of shoplifting. The woman said it's policy that someone doesn't walk around with their jewelry while shopping. Ok, that's understandable. So I asked, when proven wrong, why isn't it customary to say something to the customer you just slandered? The woman had nothing to say. We are still waiting to talk to a manager about this situation because we feel we deserve some kind of apology. My 85 year old grandmother got all worked up about the situation, which spiked her blood pressure. We had to take her back to the hotel to take her medication right away. Irregardless, their items are cheaply made and overpriced. The store is full of junk and clutter. The customer service is non existent. I recommend walking right past this place and going to a place where the employees greet you as you enter and don't falsely accuse you of theft. read more

My boyfriend and I drove 45 minutes down to St. Augustine to purchase shells for a large aquarium. We specifically wanted to support The Shell Shop. The hours on Google stated they closed at 9pm, but we arrived a few minutes before 7pm, only to find the doors locked. A woman inside stared at us, while we looked around in confusion, feeling utterly disappointed and not knowing what else to do or where to go. Maybe a minute or two later, the lights were shut off and two women exited the shop. As they did, a man outside waiting for them explained to us that they are now on off-season hours. As the trio began to walk away, one of the women paused, sensing our confusion/frustration, and asked what was wrong. We explained that we had driven from Jacksonville and that the hours were wrong on Google. We probably should have called, I said. She sort of shrugged with a "sorry" face and walked away. A few things really frustrate me about this situation, especially when taken as a whole: 1. They haven't updated their hours on Google, the #1 place people go to find that information about a business. (https://support.google.com/business/answer/3039617?hl=en -- here's info on how to update biz info on Google, in case anyone from The Shell Shop is reading this) 2. They closed several minutes before 7pm, which is apparently their off-season closing time. I wouldn't want to keep them late, but 5-10 minutes would have been enough time to grab what we needed. 3. Most importantly? They were rude. If a potential customer drove 45 minutes to shop at my business and I was closing (early), I would have done at least one of the following things: opened the doors and allowed them to shop (guessing they had closed their POS system for the night and run reports, so maybe I would have offered to let them shop with cash); offered them a 10% discount to come back another time as an apology/incentive; told them where else they could purchase what they were looking for; sympathized and acted like I gave a damn that they were inconvenienced because I don't know how to use Google and didn't feel like sticking to the new hours anyway. I get it. Maybe they haven't had a chance to update Google. Maybe they had somewhere important to be and had to close early. But there was no excuse for the total lack of customer service skills. But based on other reviews, this is a common problem for them. It's fortunate for them that most of their business is probably from tourists walking by and reputation doesn't matter much for their bottom line. For the record, I thought more about whether we should have called before driving down. Sure maybe. But it's also 2017 and as a digital marketer, I understand that consumers (not just me) are more likely to Google your business for info than call it. And guess what! That's good for your business, so your employees don't have to waste time on phone calls. TLDR: UPDATE YOUR HOURS AND BE NICE TO PEOPLE. Especially when they drive 45 minutes JUST to support YOUR business. Never again. read more

Very rude staff! Wouldn't bother shopping there again. Felt very unwelcome and was not greeted. While I shopped I heard staff talking about other customers in the store... read more

Extremely rude people that run this shop. Wanted to buy some items and where kicked out at 8:30 stating the are closing. STAY AWAY...

Bought 2 rings here for my boyfriend & I. They were so cute and colorful in the shop and then after having the rings for a month, they started to fade and lose their color. When I complained to the store owner she said she could give me the same ring for half off. Which is ridiculous because why the F**k would I buy the same ring so it can get worn out again. Cheap Jewelry! SAVE YOUR MONEY! read more

I went to the "Shell Shop" on St. George Street in St. Augustine Florida. If you are looking for courteous and friendly service, then this shop is not for you! It all started when my sister and I over heard the cashier behind the counter try to convince a customer that one of the plants she was trying to sell would stay the same size and would not grow beyond the container it was in. The plant was a bromeliad stuffed in a small shell the size of a quarter. Upon hearing this I told the cashier that bromeliads can grow rather larger and then rudeness and vehemence began to flow in a store filled with customers. . This cashier said that I was wrong and that their plants would not grow beyond the thimble sized container they were in. I told her I was from Florida and knew that that species would outgrow several containers before growing to maturity. . The cashier raised her voice to me and said that I did not know what I was talking about. I tried to let her know that I was certain about my assessment but instead of perhaps creating a calm atmosphere, she accused me of "attacking people and getting pleasure from giving others a hard time." . In embarrassment I asked the cashier if she was being rude to me in order to make a sale to an unknowing customer and then she then went off on me saying: "My father is the owner of the store and there was nothing I could do to get her in trouble." "I knew nothing about horticulture and to get my facts straight." "Get out of my store right now!" Another customer witnessing this scene suggested that if we could not call the owner we should report the rudeness and verbal attach to the Better Business Bureau and the St. Augustine Chamber of Commerce. We have been visitors of St. Augustine for many years and are native Floridians. I must say that this cashier's behavior made me write a review I never would have taken the time for especially during hard economic times and when customers should be treated with civility and kindness. This establishment should be censured for the way it makes our State appear Ill- mannered and impertinent. If you find yourself in St. Augustine, I would bypass the rude experience you will undoubtedly get in the "Shell Shop" and keep on walking. read more

The folks who have written negatively about this shop need to visit again, or, if they prefer, go to a biker bar looking for milkshakes. This shop is an attraction as well as a retail store. The variety of merchandise is unmatched, and, although tourists are the target, I don't know of any other local shop with this kind of inventory and such nice people. It's fun! read more

Beautiful items! Decent prices. Got all our Christmas presents here for the year. Lots of variety; not just shells. Impressed with the layout, friendly even to a very pregnant person. Staff were helpful even when it was very busy. They have an efficient system that makes it very quick; I was worried they would loose our items but it al worked out and due to their huge variety we ended up with lots of items and were very happy read more

When I walked in with my daughter, an old man and a slightly younger man working today, July 25 at about 1pm, were stuffing their faces with fried food at the counter and stared at then ignored us. Gross. Eat in the back! And greet ppl. Be less disgusting smelling of fried grease maybe? Then they proceeded to tell me, you break it you buy it, when my kids were playing a drum left out on the floor. Maybe put it away if you don't want kids to see/touch it? It's a family destination! I asked them if they had kids and the geezer sneered that he has grandkids. He STILL continued to be very rude. Then I asked for a refund and they refused. I am so sorry I gave them business. If that geezer is the owner, speak up, read these comments, respond, and own up. Do you know of the Internet? read more

Very rude staff. My daughter purchased a cute owl shaped purse at a fairly high price point of $39, for what it was, the price seemed a little high. She really wanted the purse, so we agreed to let her get it. We had not been out of the shop for more than 5 minutes, when she noticed the stitching coming out of the velcro where the top is held shut. My wife went back in and informed the store and asked if they had another. The lady at the counter snipped at my wife and said, "your daughter must have opened the purse too hard!" We had been gone for less than 5 minutes, clearly she had not damaged the purse. The clerk then snipped again and said, "does she just want her money back?". This lady was so very rude and insulting to my 10 year old daughter. We will surely not do any further business with this store. Although they have interesting items, I advise not doing business with them until they improve their customer service. read more

I guess I must have been there at the right time because the people working the counter were courteous and friendly. Have been there many times over the years and would never consider not stopping in. read more

SOOOOO GLAD we stopped into The Shell Shop during our visit to St. Augustine the week before Christmas. We ended up with 4 spontaneous purchases for two reasons. 1) Every single person working there was professional, attentive, and knowlegable. 2) The offerings in the shop were plentiful and so tempting. We ended up with a VERY rare shell for a wonderful price - and we had shopped around for 3 years for this shell. We purchased a gorgeous turquoise ring. And, we ended up purchasing some very cool incense and a fossil that my 8 year old loved. The staff were accomodating, answered every question with enthusiasm, and were attentive but laid back - not pushy in the least. Such a beautiful city - and experiences such as we had in this shop are those that will bring us back to St. Augustine. Thank you Shell Shop!!! read more

This place is so awesome!! My family and I live in Jax and we always make a stop at the shell shop when visiting. Highly recommend!!

I wish I could leave them no stars! They are completely unprofessional and I even worked there one time. I am glad they let me go because the witch that is there will bad mouth about anyone who walks in the door. She complains about all her employees and is definitely not a people person. She has made numerous of customers feel uncomfortable and employees as well. SHE NEEDS TO BE FIRED!!!! She has no customer service skills. And with me being 8 years of customer service and 3 year of management she would be glad I wasnt her manager because she would have been gone! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND NOT WORKING THERE OR SHOPPING THERE. They let me go when I didn't even finish my training because they didn't need me after the holiday season. Plus I am pretty sure the witch bad mouthed about while I was there when I did what I was told and I actually greeted customers...looks like the store is going back to being grim and uncomfortable like I have seen in other comments. Anyways the witches name is Maria and if you want to be stared at and talked about while your shopping this is the place for you. I am soo glad they let me go...now I can find a real place with real people with actual customer service skills. read more